Research described in this proposal will be aimed at: * understanding how structure influences the function of metalloenzyme active sites. * determining if there is a correlation between structure, properties (such as spin-state), and reactivity. Questions we will be attempting to address include: * What ligand environment is needed to stabilize the low-spin state of nitrite hydratases (NHases)? What influence, if any, does spin-state have on reactivity? How do the sulfurs influence these properties? What role do the amidates play in NHase? What is the mechanism by which NHase hydrates nitrites? What role, if any, does the conserved Ser-OH (or Thr-OH in Co-NHases) play in the mechanism of NHase? What role, if any, do the conserved arginines play in the mechanism of NHase? Does superoxide reduction by superoxide reductases (SORs) proceed via an Fe(III)-OOH intermediate? What role, if any, does the conserved glutamate play in the mechanism of SOR? How do inhibitors N3- and CN- inhibit SOR activity? Is the positioning of the Cys in SOR, traps with respect to the open binding site, important in promoting function? We plan to explore these questions by: * examining the reactivity of synthetic model complexes, and attempting to correlate this with structure and properties, such as spin- state and electronic structure, by systematically altering the structure of our ligands. * ligands will, in some cases, incorporate pendent alcohol or guanidinium arms, as models for the nearby serine and arginines in NHase. * reactivity of these models with subtrates RCN (NHase), OH- (NHase), O2- (SOR) and inhibitors (N3- , NO, CN-, RC02-) will be examined. * reactivity of these models will be compared on the basis of kinetic and thermodynamic studies. * reactivity will be monitored spectrophotometrically, at low temperature, and by EPR. * kinetics data will be obtained using stopped-flow techniques, and NMR line-shape analysis.